SSS - Simple Structured Stupid: How to Stop Overcomplicating Life
Ever feel like life has become unnecessarily complicated? Riding into the CBD, I often look up at the endless office buildings and wonder: "What do all these people actually do?" Sure, some are delivering services or making goods, but do we really need this many people doing this much stuff?
Then it hit me — many of these people aren’t directly delivering anything. They’re supporting the people who support the people who deliver the thing. And somewhere along the way, we’ve overcomplicated things so much that we now have processes for process’s sake and yet another process to check that the first process is doing what it was meant to do.
Sound familiar? Because life works the same way.
Have we made life harder than it needs to be?
Just like organisations become bloated, our personal lives can get packed with unnecessary complexity. We:
Create routines that don’t actually serve us.
Say yes to too many things, thinking they’re all essential.
Overthink simple decisions, making them harder than they need to be.
Instead of making life easier, we’re often just making it busier.
The Organisational Mess – and what we can learn from it
Take any service business, and the basic building blocks are simple:
Find clients.
Deliver the service.
Send the invoice.
Get paid.
Of course, you’ll need a few supporting functions — paying employees, marketing, maintenance, taxes — but the fundamental structure doesn’t change much.
So why do so many businesses balloon in complexity and then panic-cut later? Because they convince themselves they’re completely unique and reinvent the wheel unnecessarily.
And guess what? We do this in our own lives too. We add extra layers of stress, unnecessary commitments, and complicated decision-making when things could actually be simple.
The SSS Principle: A Better Way
We’ve all heard of the KISS principle: Keep It Simple, Stupid. But I think we’re missing an S — for Structured.
Simple. The best solutions are the clearest and most obvious. Want to be healthier? Drink water, move more, sleep well. Want better relationships? Listen, be present, communicate. It’s not rocket science.
Structured. Simplicity alone isn’t enough. If something only exists in your head or relies on your motivation, it won’t last. Structure creates sustainability. Whether it’s systems at work or routines at home, having a framework makes simplicity stick.
Stupid. Some of the best things in life are so simple they feel “stupid.” Drinking enough water. Sleeping 8 hours. Saying no to things that drain you. We complicate things because they seem too easy. Also, common sense has become so rare it might just make a comeback as a premium consultancy service. (You read it here first.)
Applying SSS to your life using the ‘Becoming Unapologetically You’ Framework
So how do you move from an overcomplicated, cluttered life to one that feels simple, structured, and effortless? Let’s break it down using the Becoming Unapologetically You framework:
1. Hover – step back and observe
Before you start simplifying, take a step back. Where have you unknowingly added complexity? Are you filling your schedule with things that don’t serve you? Are you stuck in overthinking loops?
➡ Action: Spend a day simply noticing — where is life harder than it needs to be?
2. Hold – get clear on what really matters
Simplicity doesn’t mean cutting things just to cut them. It means being intentional. What are the essentials that truly make a difference in your life?
➡ Action: Write down the 3–5 non-negotiables that matter most to you. Everything else? Optional.
3. Harness – build simple, sustainable structures
Simplicity isn’t about chaos — it’s about clarity. Structure helps sustain simplicity. Whether it’s setting boundaries, automating small decisions, or creating routines, having a system makes life easier.
➡ Action: Choose one stupidly simple system that will reduce stress — a morning routine, a weekly reset, or a habit tracker.
4. Hasten – take the smallest next step
We resist simplifying because we think it requires a full reset. But real change happens in small steps. What’s the easiest thing you can do right now?
➡ Action: Identify one small thing you can remove, delegate, or simplify today.
5. Harvest – reflect and keep refining
Simplicity isn’t a one-time fix — it’s a mindset. Keep checking in. Are things feeling lighter? Where do you need to adjust?
➡ Action: At the end of each week, ask yourself: Did I overcomplicate anything? Where can I simplify even further?
Final Thought: Cut the clutter, keep what counts
Simplicity isn’t about doing less — it’s about doing what matters most. Life is busy enough without unnecessary layers of complication. Strip it down, structure it right, and embrace the stupidly simple things that actually work.
I’d love to hear if this resonated! Drop a comment or flick me a message — how are you simplifying your life?
